Central Hong Kong

How to get to Central Hong Kong

As the name suggest the Central district of Hong Kong is quite central, both geographically and also in terms of transport, shopping, accommodation and life in general.

Train to Central Hong Kong from Airport

The Hong Kong International Airport, commonly called Chep Lap Kok for the name of the village near where it is built, is far out of the city. That might seem a normal thing but the old airport in Hong Kong, Kai Tak, was right in the city centre so for Hongkongers it still seems strange that the new, current, airport is a long way away.

Luckily there is excellent transport links from the airport into the city centre, and these go right up to Central.

The most important and recommended way to get from the airport to Central is to take the Airport Express, this dedicated high speed train service starts from within the airport building itself - the platform is right beside the arrivals hall just 30 seconds trolly-push from the meet-and-greet area.

If you see a train in the station when you get through Customs and Immigration you can just get straight on, you can buy a ticket when you alight at the other end. Or buy a ticket first and don't worry about missing the train as there will be another one ever 12 minutes throughout the day.

The train takes 23 minutes to get from the Airport to Central - the final station is marked simply "Hong Kong" and is right in the middle of Central. Upon arrival you are just minutes away from the hotels of Central either by free shuttle bus or by taxi. Many are conveniently located within walking distance, the Four Seasons hotel is actually within the same building complex and you don't need to leave the air-condition corridors at all!

Cost Of Train From Hong Kong Airport To Central

Hong Kong Airport Expresstickets are HK$100 for a one way ticket.

Taxi Fare From Hong Kong Airport To Central

Hong Kong Taxis are metered, and depending on traffic and road conditions the fee per taxi will be about $295. So if you have 3 or more people it is cheaper than the Airport Express as well as taking you door-to-door. A Hong Kong taxi can take 5 passengers in theory, but in practice 3 is comfortable and 4 is a squeeze.

Ferry to Macau from Central, Hong Kong

The Shun Tak Ferry Terminal is officially Sheung Wan, right on the border with Central, and is easily accessible by elevated walkway from the major business buildings.

At the ferry terminal are a number of different choices of ferries going to Macau, this is the main reason for the terminal and most people may simple call it the "Macau Ferry Terminal". You can buy tickets online, from travel agents, or simply turn up and buy from a ticket desk. It gets busy at times such as weekends but you rarely have to wait long and while tickets are officially for a particular sailing the staff are flexible and let you go early if seats are available.

Don't be late for a ferry though or you go into a waiting queue for later sailings and may have to stand up and wait for a while.

The ferries all take about an hour and are either catamarans or hydrofoils. They all go from Central to the Macau ferry terminal in Macau, except for the Cotai Express which is a big blue catamaran that goes directly to rather bleak terminal on the Cotai strip.

That's a great choice of you are checking directly into a hotel on Coatai, but if you are just visiting for a day-trip and want to see the sights of Macau then take the regular ferry that goes to the Macau Ferry Terminal. From outside the terminal there are taxis, and you can look up at the Guia Lighthouse which is really worth a visit. Try taking a taxi up and the cable car down (the other way around is not practical).

MTR From Hong Kong Airport To Central

Want to go from the Airport to Central by train, but find the Airport Express a bit pricy? Well there is another choice in the regular city trains, the MTR go almost to the airport. The stop just outside the airport at the new town of Tung Chung, and there are local busses from the airport to Tung Chung, so combining these two makes for a cheaper option.

From the Airport passenger terminal take the E34B or the E41 bus both go past Tung Chung. If you alight at the Tung Chung bus station you are right next to the entrance to the MTR station. With the MTR fee at only $21.90 per person, and no extra charges, it is quite a discount over the airport express.

Do note though that you are not supposed to take large luggage on the MTR, though people do often get away with it, you'll find it difficult during busy times of the day.

How To Get To Hong Kong Disneyland From Central

The Disneyland Express train goes from the Hong Kong station inside IFC mall in Central, so that is by far the easiest and most comfortable way to reach Disneyland.

Bus from Hong Kong Airport to Central

There are Airport Express busses that run to and from the Airport and Central.

At night a different schedule runs, after midnight try taking the N11 bus which goes all the way from the airport to the Macau ferry terminal in Central.

How to get to Big Buddha from Central Hong Kong

Visiting the Po Lin Monastery to see the Big Buddha? There are two great options available:

1 Ferry and bus

Take the ferry from Central ferry pier 6, that's just a minutes walk from the Star Ferry at pier 8 to the island of Lantau at the village of Mui Wo. From there take a bus from right outside the ferry pier all the way to the Po Lin monastery. The busses are well signed and run regularly.

2 MTR and Cable Car

Take the Tung Chung MTR line from Central, at the Hong Kong station, no the Central station all the way to the end of the line. When you come out follow signs to the Ngong Ping 360 cable car station, which offers great views all the way up without having to climb!

Of course it is a great idea to take both options - considering going on one and returning on the other!

About Central

Known to everybody simply as "Central" the world famed Central district of Hong Kong has been not just at the heart of business within HK, but also a major financial centre for the globe. Today it is place to do business, but also one to shop for souvenirs or for brand name goods, and also to enjoy modern Chinese dining, or the busy nightlife of Lan Kwai Fong.